Andrew Orriss

Andrew Oriss, CEO of the Structural Timber Association, explains how the UK government’s 2025 Construction Products Reform Green Paper will reshape timber specification – from risk-based regulation and strengthened certification to digital product data and sustainability reporting – and what architects and specifiers need to know to stay compliant and competitive. The UK government’s 2025 Construction Products Reform Green Paper represents a pivotal moment for architects and specifiers working with timber and timber frame systems. …The proposed shift towards risk-based regulation offers architects greater clarity when specifying timber systems. Rather than applying blanket restrictions, the new framework will recognise that different timber applications carry different risk profiles. When specifying timber frame for low-rise residential projects, architects will have clearer guidance on what is appropriate compared to specifying mass timber systems for larger commercial buildings. This nuanced approach will enable evidence-based design decisions, moving beyond outdated perceptions to focus on actual performance data.